In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 79

Chapter 79: Karen Kousaka’s Regret

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Lately, Maya had been acting strange. She used to be so meddlesome that she was almost annoying, but now she spoke less, sometimes let out sighs and would just stare off into space. She seemed like her mind was elsewhere.

Even though we were already third-years and supposed to be focused on entrance exams… What on earth was going on with her? The university we were aiming for, Saint Catherine Academy University, was an incredibly competitive, comprehensive university. o to get an internal recommendation there, having excellent grades was an absolute must.

If we didn’t meet the recommendation criteria, our only options would be to either go on to the affiliated Saint Margarita Academy University or take the external entrance exam. There was no room to slack off.

“Karen-sama. Does it not suit your taste?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s really delicious.”

“I’m so glad~ ♡ You said you didn’t have any strong likes or dislikes, but everyone has their own preferences when it comes to taste. I’d love for you to tell me what flavors you enjoy. Don’t hold back, okay?”

For some reason, I was having lunch with that Kougyoku-san in the sunlit courtyard on this lovely spring day. It was my first time sharing a class with her—Seiko Kougyoku—since becoming a third-year. Rumors really couldn’t be trusted. I’d assumed she’d be more stuck-up, but in reality, she was extremely considerate, friendly, and kind.

She had invited me to lunch early in the new school year, and ever since the weather got nice, we’d been spreading out a mat like we were on a picnic, and she would treat me to a luxurious three-tiered bento.

“With this many dishes, it’s hard to decide where to start. But I feel a little bad always being the one treated.”

“Ufufu~ You really don’t have to worry about that. You’re helping me out too. This bento is just too much for me to eat alone.”

“That’s true. It’d be pretty tough to finish all this by yourself.”

“Right? But I’d feel bad leaving any of it.”

The three-tiered bento was packed full of carefully prepared and creatively arranged dishes.

I was sure it had been made by a proper professional chef. It tasted that refined. Up until last year, I used to eat lunch in the student council room with Maya and the other student council members. We usually just grabbed some sandwiches or deli bread from the school store—nothing fancy. But we’d already retired from the student council, and my close friends were now scattered across different classes.

My first and second-year classes had been mostly filled with students from more ordinary backgrounds, so as someone who was super ordinary myself, I’d felt comfortable with my previous classes. But for some reason, this year’s class was made up almost entirely of students who had come up through the school since elementary. As someone who had entered the school in high school, it wouldn’t have been surprising if I ended up as a loner.

Hence why I was honestly really grateful that Kougyoku-san had been so eager to include me in everything she did.

“Karen-sama, may I join you in the study room again after school today?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Coming from one of Japan’s most prestigious families, and a billionaire on top of that, Kougyoku-san was expected to have a life paved in roses. And yet, she was surprisingly dedicated to her studies.

Even though she seemed to have everything… Maybe things weren’t always easy for her?

“I’m glad. I feel like I can study so much more effectively when I’m with you, Karen-sama.”

“When I think I’m not alone and when I feel that everyone is studying too, it really helps me stay motivated.”

“Yes, exactly. Studying alone can be suffocating. …Karen-sama, do you do anything to relax on your days off?”

“To relax? Hmm, let’s see. I just take it easy, or maybe go out into the city for a change of pace.”

“The city? Do you go shopping?”

“That too, but sometimes I’ll try out trendy sweets, or just chill in the park. It depends on my mood.”

“That sounds lovely. I wonder what sweets are trending right now?”

“Hmm… It might be a bit too down-to-earth from your perspective as a young lady, but I saw this giant rainbow-colored cotton candy in a magazine and I’ve kind of been curious about it.”

“Rainbow-colored cotton candy? Such a thing exists? I’d love to try it too.”

“Yeah? Then, if you’d like, wanna go together this weekend?”

“I’d love to!”

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…Kougyoku-san looked so happy earlier… Even though she was a young lady… 

Maybe aside from being a bit too refined, she wasn’t all that different from a normal high school girl. Since things had naturally led to me going out with Kougyoku-san this weekend, I needed to do some research on places to go.

《A lovey-dovey date with a high school girl. Total chick magnet mode.》

“A date? It’s not a date or anything like that.”

I immediately tried online research from my room and there it was.

《Cotton candy… Cotton candy does not provide protective energy. A chocolat date is recommended.》

“I already ate a ton of chocolate back in February, so I’m good for a while. Didn’t I stock up enough of that energy stuff back then?”

《Not nearly enough.》

“Even after eating that much? …Hey, isn’t that kinda weird?”

《Please present your question clearly.》

“Chocolat basically means chocolate, right? It’s a super common sweet. So how come eating all that didn’t give me much energy?”

《Individual consumption is negligible. Furthermore, in the divine domains of this world, chocolat and chocolate are recognized as distinct entities. Therefore, eating chocolate does not increase your energy.》

“What the heck! Why are you only telling me this now? That’s the first I’ve heard of it!”

《Especially here in Japan, the item that boasts massive consumption as a commoner’s confection is not chocolat, but chocolate.》

“Isn’t chocolat just the French word for chocolate?”

《The gods are defined by the concepts people hold of them.》

“What do you mean concepts? Wait, are you saying there’s a Chocolate God out there besides the Chocolat God?”

《Of course. It exists.》

“What the hell… Why didn’t you tell me something that important sooner?”

《You never asked..》

“Huh?”

Y-You useless hunk of junk! You’ve gotta be kidding me. Why are you so unhelpful?!

“Okay then, what’s the concept of chocolat?”

《In Japan, chocolat is classified as a luxury indulgence. It refers to carefully crafted, artisanal products handmade by specialized chocolatiers—not mass-produced. These items are selected for their exquisite taste, visual presentation, and packaging. Prices start at several hundred yen per piece. The unit cost is high, but overall consumption volume is limited.》

“Wait, that’s what chocolat means? Isn’t the definition for chocolat is a bit too narrow?!”

《That is the concept as it exists in Japan. As a result, compared to Europe, the divine authority of the Chocolat God tends to be weaker here.》

“Why would something so high-class end up being the blessing I get stuck with? I’m just a total commoner!”

《It has to do with the circumstances under which you came to this world.》

“Circumstances…? The only thing I had when I drowned was that one obligatory chocolate, wasn’t it?”

A single giri choco I’d received from a junior colleague at work. I’d secretly hoped we were starting to hit it off, but on the day she gave it to me, she’d said, ‘It’s just giri choco. Open it at home, okay?’ I remembered being super disappointed back then. But someone had tried to snatch the bag it was in, and during the struggle, I ended up falling into the river.

《It was not merely giri choco. What Master protected at that time was one of only 200 limited-edition sets released by a prestigious confectionery workshop. It was a honmei Chocolat Box handcrafted by a renowned chocolatier.》

“…Huh?”

《Retail price: 4,500 yen. Comes with a stylish confession message card.》

“You’re kidding… That was honmei chocolate?”

《Incorrect. It was honmei chocolat.》

“…What did the message card say?”

《「I like how kind you are. Will you go out with me?」》

Hearing that, all the strength drained from my body. Happiness had been right in front of me. So why… Why the hell did I end up in a world like this?

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T/N: The only victim in this novel (ㅠ﹏ㅠ)